1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for verifying a mobile device user and executing applications, via handwriting recognition, and to a mobile device adapted to the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
The importance of protecting personal information in mobile devices has significantly increased in relation to the increase in the number of people who use touch screen-based mobile devices, such as smart phones. A lock mode is a conventional method of protecting personal information in mobile devices. For example, if a user needs to operate his/her mobile device, set in a conventional lock mode state, he/she must first release the lock in order to execute a corresponding application in the mobile device.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional method requiring a mobile device user to input a specific pattern to the mobile device in order to release the lock state. When the mobile device verifies the user's input pattern as a correct pattern as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 1, the mobile device displays an idle screen. If the user selects an application, such as a call application, as shown in the middle diagram, the mobile device executes the application and displays the corresponding screen as shown in the right diagram.
However, conventional methods inconveniently require a number of user input operations to operate a mobile device from a step for releasing the lock state to a step for executing an application. In addition, since conventional lock patterns are set by the use of nine points arranged in matrix form on the screen, the configuration results in a relatively simple combination producing a low level of security of the lock. This results in a user's dissatisfaction with the lock state of the mobile device.